


Secondhand Darlings

by CapitalistTrash



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Book Abuse, F/F, F/M, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader is dfab, a spider friend is the best kind of friend, book vandalism, bookshop au, brief mentions of Rick Riordan, cute UPS man, gender neutral reader, let's face it all UPS delivery people are cute, spider friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 01:09:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9212774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapitalistTrash/pseuds/CapitalistTrash
Summary: sec·ond·hand/ˌsekəndˈhand/adjective1.(of goods) having had a previous owner; not new."a secondhand car"synonyms: used, old, worn, pre-owned, handed-down, hand-me-down, castoff; informal: preloved





	

It was one of those days; no clouds, impossibly blue skies, and the sun was bright and warm. You swear you could hear birds singing. It was days like these that tempted you to up and flip the open sign to closed and leave your bookshop. But you could never bring yourself to do it. It had taken you years of blood, sweat, and tears (and a substantial amount of part-time jobs) to get this little shop of yours running and you’d be damned if you didn’t savor every moment of it. Even when you would rather go read in the park with the sun shining down on you.

Thursdays were your slowest days. You would get a handful of customers, usually regulars to your shop and the occasional browser, but you never had large crowds on Thursdays. You supposed you probably wouldn’t today with how beautiful it seemed to be outside. 

You looked around and seeing no customers, and wished you could close for a little break at least, but you were expecting a delivery of some new books, and couldn’t leave until then. You willed one of the people walking down the sidewalk to come inside, to browse, to make polite conversation, but no such luck.

It’s been a while since you dusted the shelves, you supposed. Might as well get something done. You grabbed a dust rag from the back room and started walking around. You started at your display tables, you had three of them, and they were reserved for new releases and promotional goods. 

The rest of your shelves held your secondhand goods. These books were your favorite. Reading a used book was almost a spiritual experience for you. You, feeling along with someone else, experiencing the book in a way that could be similar or completely different to the previous reader. You knew some people hated it, but you loved seeing scribbled notes in the margins or underlined passages. It was a small thing, but it made you feel connected to something bigger. Even if that something bigger was just a book.

It was then you heard it. The beeping of a UPS truck backing up. You ducked out from behind the shelf you’d been working on and there he was, your savior. Here to deliver you your books and free you from air-conditioned book hell to finally get lunch.

You walked out into the warm sunlight and sighed. It was nicer out than you had thought. It was just on the verge of being too hot, but not quite there yet. The promise of swelteringly hot days in the future was in the wind, but right now it was perfect.

“Hey Derek, got anything good for me today?” you asked. Derek was your UPS guy, and he had become a pretty good friend over the two years of delivering very heavy boxes of books to you. He was tall and pretty toned from carrying heavy boxes all the time.

“Eh, I might have something back here for ya. If you got the new Rick Riordan book.” Not to mention he was a huge dork.

“Oh, you _know_ I got the new Riordan book. Can I help you with the boxes?” You weren’t exactly as toned as Derek, but you had become pretty fit from lifting and moving boxes of books for two and a half years. You’d kept meaning to start working out seriously, but you had never gotten around to it. 

Derek answered you by placing a small but deceivingly heavy package in your arms.

“Stars above, Derek, I thought I ordered books, not bricks.” You strained under the weight of the box but managed to kick the door to your shop open and held the door as Derek followed you inside with two more, larger boxes.

“Yeah well, same thing really when it comes to packages if you ask me.” Derek plopped the boxes down on the counter as you let the door swing closed and you dropped the box onto the counter with a loud _thunk_.

“Blasphemy. Give me that.” You grab the electronic device from his hand and sign it. You slip behind the counter and grab your scissors and carefully cut the tape on the first of the larger boxes. It has the words, “Do Not Open Until June 9th” written on it. It’s May 28th.

You open the box, pull out a book, and hand it to Derek.

“If you tell anyone about this I will _kill_ you.” You warn him. “I could get in big trouble giving that out before release.”

”Oh Stars _____, I won’t tell a soul. This is so exciting!” Derek holds the book close to his chest and sighs. “It’s too bad I won’t be able to read it until after work. Thanks again, _____.”

”It’s really no problem, Derek. You pre-ordered it anyway. I’m just not looking forward to unpacking these boxes if I’m honest.”

”You know, _____, you should really hire a shop assistant or something. You spend almost all your time in here. You need to get out more.” Derek put his hands on his hips and gave you a hard look. “ _And_ you’ve been putting off going to get that tattoo you’ve been wanting long enough. An assistant would help you justify taking the time off to get it done!”

You sigh. “You’re right. You’re right. I’ll print out a help wanted sign when I get back from lunch.”

Derek smiles at you. “That’s all I can hope for I guess. I gotta get back to work. These boxes don’t deliver themselves! See you next week, _____.”

”See you then, Darling.”

And then he’s gone. You look around your shop and find it once more empty and quiet. You half drag, half carry the boxes into the back room and decide you can unpack them after a quick lunch. You briefly consider heading upstairs into your apartment above the store, but then remember how wonderful it had been outside and decide to go for a walk and find someplace to grab something. Besides, you don’t think you’ve gone shopping for a while and there probably isn’t anything too substantial in the fridge anyway. 

You grab the book you’ve been reading, throw it in your purse, and flip the sign to closed and clipping the ‘Off to Lunch! Be back soon!’ attachment onto it. Then you’re out the door and off to find lunch.

You picked a direction and began walking. The shops around you had been changing a lot over the past few weeks. Since monsters had returned to the surface and practically invaded Ebott City, some people had up and left the town. You were glad they had left, that meant there were places that the monsters could stay while they debated citizenship and rights with the leaders of Ebott. They had recently come to an agreement, albeit a reluctant one, and monsters had been granted citizenship and most basic rights by law. Some lived in the country, but most had moved to Ebott City and opened their shops. You hadn’t yet had a chance to check out any of the new monster owned shops and restaurants, but you were determined to find and eat at one today.

You passed a Bar and Grill called Grillby’s, but you weren’t feeling a burger or anything of the like right now. Even if it was only two buildings down from yourself. You marked in out in your head, hoping you would remember to check it out later in the week. There was another shop called, “Nice Cream Emporium” and you would definitely be checking that out later. It was tempting, but you were on a mission for lunch, and ice cream, no matter how nice it was, was not lunch.

You passed some clothing stores and specialty stores and then stopped in front of another restaurant. It was perfect. The sign read in an elegant script, “Muffet’s Bakery,” and the sign on the door boasted that they were open.

As you walked through the door, a little bell jingled and you were hit with the heavenly scent of cinnamon and freshly baked pastry. The shop was small, with four tables along the wall for in-house dining and a purple color scheme. It was then you noticed all the spiderwebs. You determination faltered for a moment in surprise but you smiled and walked to the display case by the counter. You felt eyes on you, and couldn’t help but wonder if there were actual spiders in the Spider Danishes.

An unknown voice yells from what you assume is the kitchen. ”I’ll be right with you, Deary!~”

You look up at the chalkboard menu and find it is in the same elegant script as the sign outside. You wonder if the sign was handmade while you browse the selection of pastry, tea, and coffee. The food seems a bit high-end and pricey, but you feel you can find it in your heart to forgive the owner when it smells so divine.

Suddenly, a monster who you assume to be Muffet appears. You understand now why the show is spider-themed. Muffet has five glossy and expressive eyes, and a multitude of arms. She is obviously some sort of spider monster. Needless to say, she’s also very cute.

”Welcome to my Parlor. What can I get for you, Deary?~” She seems delighted to have a customer, but you see a tinge of worry in her eyes. You’re sure she’s had some run-ins with humans before and it breaks your heart a little bit inside.

You smile back at her. ”Could I please get a Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart, an Apple Danish, and a Spiced Spider Green Tea?”

Muffet springs into action. She turns to the back counter where you see her fiddle with a teapot and some spices. While she does that, one of her other hands starts putting numbers into the register. ”Coming right up. Will you be eating in, Deary?~”

You smile as she works, she knows her way around the counter very well. You have no doubt she’s very popular among monsters. You’re almost surprised it isn’t busier seeing as it’s around lunch time, but you suppose most people who would be eating out today would either go to Grillby’s or be basking in the sun. “Yes, ma’am.”

”Ahuhuh~ Aren’t you a polite one?” She turned around, leaving the teapot to do its thing. “That’ll be 14.86.”

You pull out your wallet and hand her a twenty and smile. “Keep the change.”

She takes the bill and puts it in the register, turns and pours your tea into a large mug. ”Ahuhuhu~ Pleasure doing business with you.”

At that moment, you notice a small brigade of spiders carrying your two pastries along the counter and plopping them on the plate Muffet had placed there.

You decide it’s only polite to thank both Muffet and her small army of spiders she apparently has behind the counter and take your tea and pastries over to one of the tables.

The first bite of the tart is heavenly. If your book club doesn’t know about this bakery then they will soon enough. The tea smells inviting and when you take a sip it seems to fill your entire being with an emotional warmth. You smile around your mug and sigh. This is going to end up being something you can’t go without.

You put your mug down and pull your book out of your purse along with a pencil and your post-its. The book is a cheesy romance you’d been cautious about selling in your shop, and it was your book club’s book this month. It wasn’t a bad book, and so far it seemed like a good match for your new releases table. As you settle down to continue where you’d left off, you feel curious eyes on you and look at the counter only to find it empty. Confused, you look around and find yourself seemingly alone.

You shrug and go back to your tart and book. You stay mindful of how long you spend here, and decide to try to keep it to a maximum of 15 minutes. You still need to get two of those boxes unpacked and print off a help wanted sign before Derek puts one up himself.

You lose yourself in your book and before you know it you’ve finished your tart, the danish, and your tea, and it’s time to go. You look up from your book to find that you had been joined by a frankly large spider friend who seems to be snacking on the crumbs from your tart. When they notice you looking, they back off the plate. You didn’t know spiders could look guilty.

You try to make them feel better. “It’s alright, friend. I wasn’t gonna eat those anyway.”

Immediately the spider seems to perk up. You then realize you don’t know if you’re supposed to leave your plate here or if there’s a place to bring it. You look around and then back down at your new friend.

“Is there somewhere I need to bring these?” you ask, gesturing to the empty plate and mug.

The spider shakes its body. “So that’s a no?” They bob up and down. You smile at them. “Thanks, friendo.”

You stand and begin to gather up your book and other items, you’d managed to get a fair chunk of the book read, and had added several annotations and colored tabs.

“Leaving so soon, Deary?~”

You jump a bit, startled by Muffet’s sudden reappearance and almost drop your book. You manage to catch it, but by the light laughter from behind you and the strange squeaky hissing coming from Spider Friend, you are positive you looked ridiculous just now.

“Uh, Yes ma’am, I have to get back to work. My bookshop doesn’t run itself. ‘Tis the unending plight of the small business owner.”

You carefully put the book back in your purse and turn to leave, but Muffet is looking at you and you suddenly understand why people probably don’t eat in at Muffet’s. This is the look of a master capitalist. Someone who won’t let you leave until you make yet another purchase.

Before she can speak you ask, “Could I get another large tea to go?”

Another six dollars later, and you’re on your way back to your shop with a second Spiced Spider Green Tea. You don’t know what she does to these, but this is the best damn tea you’ve ever had in your life and you’ll probably start ordering your life around getting one of these every day.

You pass one of the shops that has been here long before monsters resurfaced and you notice a bright red sign that you had never seen before. Curious to see if they were having a sale, you stop to get a closer look.

You reel back in disgust. It reads, _We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone._

When you get back to your shop, you look up at your sign and you think it looks welcoming. _Secondhand Darlings_ is written on the dark wood in gold inlay with a soft font. The storefront is rather plain, but you had spent most of your time making the inside more inviting than making the outside look enticing.

You remove the _Out to Lunch_ sign and flip it back to open. Then you get to work. You’ll be open for a good long while, but you know the bell on the door will let you know if anyone enters the store.

By the time you are satisfied with your Help Wanted sign, two customers have come and gone, both of them regulars who know the store back to front, so you talked with them from the back room until they were ready to check out.

You print the sign out on lilac paper, and tape one copy securely to the inside of the door and the other to the front display window. It reads, “ _HELP WANTED_ **_ALL_** _APPLICANTS WELCOME!_ please have resume ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> Updates will probably be a bit irregular. Tags will update as the story progresses.


End file.
